Should I just apply in-state for my safety schools then? I don’t know if I should spend $150 just to apply to schools that are roughly the same caliber (?) as my state flagship for engineering. I really want to leave my state though, in order to experience new things and move to a bigger, more vibrant city… that is mainly why I want to apply to MSU and OSU but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. I think I am pretty competitive for the professional assistantship program at MSU…
Are there any OOS schools that offer plenty of merit aid that I can use as a safety, besides Alabama??